Perceptions of Treatment Tolerability and Its Relationship to Income in Patients with Hematologic Malignancy: Findings from the Cancer Experience Registry

• Published in: Blood 2024-11, Vol.144 (Supplement 1), p.2437-2437
• Main Authors: Fortune, Erica E, Pink, Sabrina, Doughtie, Kara, Saxton, Claire, LeBlanc, Thomas W., Buzaglo, Joanne, Roborel de Climens, Aude, Ginchereau Sowell, France, Shukla, Anubha, Miller, Melissa F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood-2024-210340

Background: Hematologic malignancies (HM) often require therapies associated with a range of bothersome symptoms, side effects, and impacts. Clinical researchers typically consider tolerability in terms of physical tolerability (adverse events, AEs), but treatment requires commitment of time and resources, and thus financial tolerability and other patient factors must also be a consideration. This study aims to understand patients' perceptions of treatment tolerability and how these perceptions might be related to income. Methods: A total of 118 people with HM participated in the Cancer Experience Registry (CER) online survey between November 2021 and June 2024 and provided sociodemographic and clinical information. Participants were asked how important (on a 5-point scale from 1=Not at all to 5=Very much important) are various aspects of tolerability. In total 11 aspects were considered; 2 items related to cure/progression, 2 symptoms/side-effects, 2 access, 2 emotional well-being, and 3 related to treatment regimen. Chi-square analysis was utilized to assess group differences among tolerability items based on those reporting low (